Preview BW093: The Junior Cup of Farewells and Meetings!

[Silktree]

First of all, what the writers should do and are likely to do are two different things. Judging from the previous episodes, the writers are more interested in Piplup and Oshawott's current story than in Dawn and Ash's history. This episode is hardly just about Dawn leaving, either.

Secondly, you still haven't explained why Dawn needs to win in order to prove how much she learned from Ash. Besides, he arguably learned just as much from her, so it goes both ways. What was wrong with Ash and May tying in AG? Or with Ash and Dawn tying in their many practice battles?

 

[HumanDawn]

First of all, what the writers should do and are likely to do are two different things. Judging from the previous episodes, the writers are more interested in Piplup and Oshawott's current story than in Dawn and Ash's history. This episode is hardly just about Dawn leaving, either.

The episode won't be entirely focused on Ash and Dawn of course. What I said was that the part focused on them should solely be about them, and not about 2 horny Pokemon who want to beat each other to impress.

Secondly, you still haven't explained why Dawn needs to win in order to prove how much she's learned from Ash, and he arguably learned just as much from her.

I did not say, nor imply such thing. She needs to win this because she has to look good one final time before lord knows when she'll appear again. It's true that Ash would be losing two times in a row if Dawn won, but then he has the rest of this saga to battle and win to look good again. Even so, Ash would still look good because he was the one that taught her what he knew. Dawn didn't make Ash learn much. Then again, I can see how even if they did tie, both would still look good if they battled well.

What was wrong with Ash and May tying in AG? Or with Ash and Dawn tying in their many practice battles?

There was nothing wrong with Ash and May tying since they did well in the contest before. Here we have Dawn, who lost against Iris' Dragonite and won a battle against somebody's Stoutland, a battle where we didn't see much of Dawn's capabilities actually making her succeed. The practice battles where just that, practice battles. Not an official battle where they show off their full potential, not a match to symbolize what they experienced together, their bond, their friendship, their struggles and the hard time they had facing off their rivals.

That's what I felt that DP's final episode lacked when they departed. The AG quartet departure was the best one because we had the group talking to each other about the present and the possible future (with Ash promising Max a battle in the future) instead of being all "Oh well we had fun, we're sad that we won't be travelling again, hope to see you soon... GOODBYE!". Instead, they made another "Piplup cries and runs away" plot to try to compel me, make me feel bad at what's happening,.. but utterly failed at it like the previous 2 Piplup plots. It became all about Piplup instead of them. It's what I dread the most of possibly happening in this episode... which would lead to a rushed departure with no meaning to it.

 

[Cybersai]

So since Dawn is confirmed to be leaving this episode, I wonder why they did promote her so much on the official TVTokyo website, in scans, and even put her in the opening.

Its going to look really weird to see Dawn still in the opening when she's not even going to be in the anime anymore.

 

[Silktree]

So since Dawn is confirmed to be leaving this episode, I wonder why they did promote her so much on the official TVTokyo website, in scans, and even put her in the opening.

It was false promotion. They tried to make the new season look as different as possible, even though that is far from the case.

Its going to look really weird to see Dawn still in the opening when she's not even going to be in the anime anymore.

It technically makes more sense than Ash's old Pokémon being in the opening. Chances are that by the time some of them get to appear, the opening will have been replaced.

 

[Mikuri]

So since Dawn is confirmed to be leaving this episode, I wonder why they did promote her so much on the official TVTokyo website, in scans, and even put her in the opening.

Its going to look really weird to see Dawn still in the opening when she's not even going to be in the anime anymore.

I also don't understand why her appearance was so promoted if she came to do nothing of importance.
Dawn may have stayed for eight episodes, but in the end, she did less than May did in five. Seriously, what was the point of bringing her back if she only came to serve as a background character? And why on earth they did Piplup and Oshawott become rivals? I can't believe the writers will send Piplup away without resolving his rivalry with Oshawott.
May was so lucky to return in the Diamond & Pearl series. She had the opportunity to contribute to the plot of the series for which she returned, helping Dawn to regain her confidence. And although she lost the Wallace Cup, she reached the finals of the competition, making a good appeal and defeating Zoey in the process. Dawn's only victory in the Junior Cup was against a character of the day in a battle that lasted 2 seconds. That's depressing.
But I guess it is better for her to go now than stay a little longer and have her character even more damaged.
Goodbye Dawn! Better luck next time, if there is next time!

 

[Gengarzilla]

I think it's for the bast that Dawn is leaving already. Piplup vs Oshawott was taking up too much screentime and I'll be glad to see the back of that old joke. Apart from Piplup and Mamoswine, her Pokemon were practically non-existent and it is better for her to leave now before BW Season 2 causes any lasting damage...

 

[SammyW27]

Oh please let the "farewells" part mean we'll be forever rid of Shooti in favor of the new rival

 

[Hellion]

Satoshi v Hikari... I don't know... I'm glad they're finally having the two of them interact for the first time since... what... BW086 (After all, why show the two of them actually interacting when all it does is cut into the "Dawn worshiping Iris" time XD) and I'm glad that they're giving her the chance to battle once more, but yeah... with Shooti v Adeku, goodbyes, meeting this Kotetsu guy, umpteenth useless, dull and repetitive Rocket scene, I wonder how long the battle will actually last and how good it'll be.

I hope it's not Pochama v Mijumaru, but it's very very very very obvious it will be. We've seen more than enough of the two, there's not a real "rivalry" to resolve. They kinda put that all behind them in the Iwark episode when they started working together. They had no problem with one another in the Kairyu episode, so i'd be kinda hollow to go with that. Personally, I'm hoping for a Tsutarja/Kenhallow v Mimirol battle (possibly with the latter evolving). Mimirol hasn't really had a good battle since the Mikuri Cup, so I'd kinda like to see it kick ass here. Or Magmarashi, show off it's evolution, show off what it can do. Those two and maybe Pachirisu (one of the funniest of Hikari's Pokémon that was cruelly underused) are who I'd be looking for here.

But who am I kidding, Pochama v Mijumaru it will be... sigh...

 

[Ashfangirl22]

At least we finally get our Ash V.S Dawn battle after all these years!
Hope they use moves they've learned from one another.

 

[p96822]

Why is Ash and Dawn battling in this episode?

 

[Cybersai]

Why is Ash and Dawn battling in this episode?

This is very likely going to be Dawn's final appearance in the show ever. Both Misty and May stopped appearing entirely once their last cameos ended in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

Going by the pattern, Dawn most likely will never be seen again in any episodes after this one. So before she goes, giving her one last battle with Ash is something that the audience will remember. And you know the writers will have Piplup there because they're dying to show it off as much as possible before the end.

 

[G50]

It appears that Ash and Kotetsu do meet in this episode.

 

[Silktree]

It appears that Ash and Kotetsu do meet in this episode.

That was obvious, although it is anyone's guess why Kotetsu didn't enter the tournament. I wonder if he will continue to travel with Ash until the league.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

From the looks of this episode, it seems Dawn is going to leave and have one proper battle with Ash(hopefully). They never really had battle between them(unless you count those practice matches)like other girls did, so im glad that writers are staying consecutive deciding to do same thing with Dawn. Sadly it will probably just be clash between Oshawott and Piplup(like he didn't got enough focus in DP already) to resolve their supposed "rivalry"over Meloetta coming to respect each other. Which is disappointing because i would rather see Quilava, Pachirisu, Togekiss or even Buneary battling instead with this pokemon getting nothing in this appearance.

Though what i liked about Dawn was that she had great interactions with Iris and Cilan, and came back for more than 8 episodes. Which is much more than Misty or May ever got. I know some may have been irked about her teasing of Ash, but that's what friends sometimes do out of endeavor, and she probably found Iris catchphrase funny deciding to play game along(i wasn't bothered by it).Dawn was still pretty much same supportive friend to Ash having her catchphrase, being that eager, optimistic girl and her expression to Dento"its tasting time"was priceless lol.
She played some importance you could say too, since her Mamoswine will be giving hard time to Iris Dragonite helping i starting to listen Iris, drawing parallel with issues Dawn experienced with her own pokemon back in Sinnoh too.

I guess its fair to expect more out from it, but on other hand since there are no contests in Unova, there isn't much you could expect from writers to do with Dawn. Like it would be case with some other older characters who aren't depending on contests, and who could benefit more from World Cups.
But i guess you could say it helped partially Dawn too. She traveled to Unova to improve her skills as coordinator and learn about different battle style trainers over there use, getting to observe and see from first hand their battling style. In DP she was focused more on appeals than raw and battling aspect, and i presume she wasn't prepared for different way coordinators battle in Hoenn deciding to go on journey and look up for new strategies other people use to help her improve.

Though it would've be better if Iris lost to Dawn with Dragonite because of loss realizing how battling only by instincts isn't enough if your going to have trainer, making bigger impact in character story.

But still battle is going to be awesome judging by preview and i know Dawn will give her hell of a hard time. Fact that Dragonite struggled so much against Mamoswine, while beating before that so easily Langley Beartic which aside from type advantage was specifically trained to beat dragons just shows how much Dawn improved.

So all in all while i wished there was done more, imo Dawn cameo wasn't pointless. And it was refreshing seeing her again making BW series with her return little more enjoyable(at least to me).
Better than getting nothing rotting forgotten like other companions.

This is very likely going to be Dawn's final appearance in the show ever. Both Misty and May stopped appearing entirely once their last cameos ended in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

Going by the pattern, Dawn most likely will never be seen again in any episodes after this one. So before she goes, giving her one last battle with Ash is something that the audience will remember. And you know the writers will have Piplup there because they're dying to show it off as much as possible before the end.

To be fair, we don't know if Dawn will return at some point in future, if another opportunity arises. Same goes for Misty and May.

Judging by new games Nintendo always finds way to include previous characters in , there are left unfinished things in their stories leaving room to do more and writers could decide to capitalize on their popularity again.

 

[BlazeMaster]

I'd like to see Buneary vs Pikachu or Quilava vs Pignite, but I think that Piplup vs Oshawott is, as Kim Jong-il would say, ineritable.

 

[Thor94]

if Trip doesn't lose against Alder, considering this is only his first region and no one in the show has been even close to beating an E4 member, it would be complete bullshit.

The fact that Trip humiliate Ash in their three battles, is ever a complete bullshit, ash experience in BW is a complete bullshit too; the fact that lv80 pikachu has been defeated by lv5 snivy because of electricity problem in BW001 is not an excuse (pikachu has ever beat pokemons with only physics move during leagues, and electricty is not efficient against leaf pokemons).

If Trip the rookie beat Alder, it would be the biggest ultimate incredible humiliation for Ash (even if it's ever case) who losses his fourth tournament in unova (don battle, wishing bell, club battle, junior cup) despite 4 leagues and battle frontier experience.

We know too, he have nearly no chance to win unova league (if he not win the league, unova would be the first region where ash will have lost all tournaments he participating)

 

[Adil]

 

[BlazeMaster]

The fact that Trip humiliate Ash in their three battles, is ever a complete bullshit, ash experience in BW is a complete bullshit too; the fact that lv80 pikachu has been defeated by lv5 snivy because of electricity problem in BW001 is not an excuse (pikachu has ever beat pokemons with only physics move during leagues, and electricty is not efficient against leaf pokemons).

1. Levels don't work in the anime and never have. You could argue the same point for Ash's Pikachu not wiping the floor with Roark's lv 10 team with Iron Tail.
2. Trip also had the element of surprise here, with Ash's shock at Pikachu's elecricity and Leaf Tornado.
3. I imagine that Ash was majorly jetlagged, given the time difference between East Coast and Japan

If Trip the rookie beat Alder, it would be the biggest ultimate incredible humiliation for Ash (even if it's ever case) who losses his fourth tournament in unova (don battle, wishing bell, club battle, junior cup) despite 4 leagues and battle frontier experience.

1. Wishing Bell wasn't a conventional tournament, and the other two finalists cheated.
2. All of Ash's losses have been feasible. Excadrill vs Pikachu was an impossible match from the beginning and Scraggy had barely battled and was fighting against a strong opponent with a type advantage. Junior Cup is the only one where he could have won, but bear in mind that this is one powerful Serperior.

 

[Caseydia]

Oh please let the "farewells" part mean we'll be forever rid of Shooti in favor of the new rival

After the way Trip has been acting lately, I'd say the newer rival looks like jail bait.

 

[Cybersai]

Since a lot happens in this episode, its rather obvious the Ash Vs. Dawn match will be some short 1 on 1 affair. Not only do we have to deal with Trip Vs. Adeku, but we also have to deal with Ash meeting the new rival, the farewell to Dawn, and Ash deciding what to do next.

I still say it'll just be Piplup Vs. Oshawott. Remember this will be Dawn's last on-screen battle FOREVER, there is no way the writers wouldn't showcase Piplup one last time before Dawn fades away into obscurity like all other past characters.